Abstract: A rotatable cutterhead for a forage harvester having a plurality of parallel support members within plans perpendicular to a central shaft and spaced axially therealong. A plurality of similar chopping blades are affixed in circumferentially spaced relationship to each other around the support members, whereby the interior of said cutterhead is open and susceptible to ingress of cut forage material. Baffle strips extend from each blade inwardly from and adjacent the cutting edge at a sufficient distance and angle to deter the ingress of cut material into the interior of said cutterhead.

Abstract: In a harvesting and threshing machine utilizing at least one cooperative cylinder and rotatable rotor to achieve axial flow threshing and separation of grain bearing crop material there is provided an improved grain collection means underlying the auxiliary separation and discharge means and overlying at least a portion of the primary cleaning and separating means movably mounted to the frame of the machine in such a manner that air flow generated by the cleaning fan is not disturbed by the rotation of the rotor or the beater means of the auxiliary separation and discharge means.

Abstract: In a crop roll forming machine having a reversibly rotatable bale forming means and a drive means there is provided a control means affixed to the frame movable between at least a first position and a second position for cooperative interaction with the drive means and the bale forming means to selectively cause the bale forming means to cease being driven in a first direction and cause it to be driven in an opposing second direction when the control means is moved from the first position to the second position so that a completed crop roll is ejected rearwardly from the machine onto the ground.

Abstract: An interface which connects input/output (I/O) controllers to a data channel in a data processing system. A bidirectional priority bus is provided interconnecting the channel with the controllers. Each controller is assigned a priority level. When a controller requires service, it signals the channel over a common request line and the channel responds with a channel select signal. Each requesting controller gates a binary number corresponding to its priority level onto the common priority bus. Contending controllers resolve priority among themselves by monitoring the priority bus. If a controller detects a higher priority level than its own level on the bus it removes its priority number from the bus. The highest priority controller then activates an acknowledge signal and places its device address on a bidirectional data bus in response to a ready signal from the channel.

Abstract: In a crop roll forming machine adapted to be towed across a field, a kicker means is fastened to the opposing sides of the frame and extends at least partially therebetween adjacent the conveying means and the rear end so that upon completion of the formation of the crop roll the roll is ejected from the bale forming region into contact with the kicker means which propels it rearwardly of the roll forming machine.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a combine with a unique sealing arrangement between the pivotable feeder housing and the inlet opening. The feeder housing includes axially aligned pivot arms which extend away therefrom to engage a pair of support yokes which permit the feeder housing to pivot vertically. The pivot arms include curved contact plates which sealingly engage at least partly semi-circular resilient closure members on the combine frame to prevent crop material from escaping between the feeder housing and the inlet opening.

Abstract: An improved support for the forward end portion of the wooden floor of a manure spreader is disclosed. The forward edge of the floor is enclosed by a channel-shaped cap portion which is in turn supported by an elongated brace member affixed at its ends to structural elements of the spreader. The cap portion may extend across the entire edge of the floor; however, its primary advantages may be obtained by making it substantially conterminous with the conveyor chain width.

Abstract: A bale row forming table of a three table type bale wagon has an actuating lever which cooperates in detecting the length of a bale row and in repositioning the last bale of the row when a short row is detected. The actuating lever manipulates an electrical sensor in response to the presence or absence of a bale in contact therewith and is oriented so as to be displaced in only one direction regardless of whether it is contacted by a bale from above or from the side.

Abstract: The bale row forming table of a three table type bale wagon has a bale alignment device cooperating therewith which acts to insure bale tiers of uniform dimensions by establishing bale rows of equal length, an effect achieved by monitoring the length of a bale row by means of trip levers located at the loading end of the table and at the end remote from the loading end and reversing the table conveyor whenever a short bale row is detected to reposition the last bale of the row.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to automatic bale wagons of the type adapted to pick up crop material bales in the field and automatically form stacks of these bales utilizing a variety of selected tier configurations for forming a stable, interlocked stack of bales.

Abstract: A crop harvesting header has a transversely extending crop consolidating component that detachably mounts either one of a plurality of interchangeable crop gathering components, such as a crop windrow-pickup or a row-crop. The lower front portion of the consolidating component is provided with a plurality of spaced apart truncated cone-shaped recessed structures which are respectively adapted to receive a corresponding number of truncated cone-shaped projecting structures mounted on the lower rear portion of the gathering component. The projecting structures are coupled within the recessed structures to detachably mount the crop gathering component forwardly of the crop consolidating component.

Abstract: A safety lock for an agricultural windrower and/or conditioner comprising a self-propelled machine having a pair of drive wheels respectively powered by individual hydraulic motors each powered by separate hydraulic pumps driven by a fuel powered motor, the pumps being variable for driving the motors at desired speeds and directions to comprise a hydrostatic steering system for said machine, said pumps being variable by a rotatable steering wheel, and a speed control level also is movable to cause actuation of both pumps equally and also actuates lock pins which secure the steering wheel in neutral position. The safety feature is effected by the speed control lever being biased into a latching notch when the steering wheel is moved to neutral position and thereby moves the lock pins automatically into locking position relative to holes in plates associated with linkage between the column of the steering wheel and said hydraulic pumps.

Abstract: Magnetic recording apparatus including signal equalization means for recording data so as to obtain read pulses therefrom which are symmetrical about their peak and substantially narrowed at both the base and half amplitude points whereby increased packing density may be achieved without attendant peak shift, the equalization being provided by means for generating an ac bias signal in conjunction with data transitions and associated equalizer transitions referenced to the bias signal for application to magnetic recording means.

Abstract: A hydraulic control system comprising a hydraulic actuator having opposed openings adapted to alternately function as inlets and outlets for moving the element of the actuator in opposite directions and a variable displacement pump with loading sensing control for supplying fluid to said actuator. A meter-in valve is provided to which the fluid from the pump is supplied and a pilot controller alternately supplies fluid at pilot pressure to the meter-in valve for controlling the direction and displacement of movement of the meter-in valve and the direction and velocity of the actuator. A pair of lines extends from the meter-in valve to the respective openings of the actuator and a meter-out valve is associated with each line of the actuator for controlling the flow out of the actuator when that line to the actuator does not have pressure fluid from the pump applied thereto. Each meter-out valve is pilot operated by the pilot pressure from the controller.

Abstract: A timing circuit for a track following servo system wherein an odd servo track having a series of prerecorded odd dibits thereon and an adjacent even servo track having a series of even dibits prerecorded thereon are moved with respect to a servo head to induce in the servo head signals that vary with the occurrence of the dibits and have an amplitude representative of the lateral position of the servo head with respect to the servo tracks. The servo head and its associated preamplifier produce a first signal having portions from both odd and even servo tracks and a second signal that is the inverse of the first signal. The first and second signals are processed by parallel identical circuit paths to generate a clocking signal that times the remainder of the data storage system in synchronism with the spacing of dibits on the servo tracks.

Abstract: A phase comparator for a digital phase locked loop which provides first and second order error signals for phase and frequency correction of a voltage controlled oscillator in the loop with respect to data being read for self synchronization of the data. A first order error signal is generated in a first phase detector which operates only during a VCO "unsafe" condition, i.e., when a data pulse is beyond a present limit. A finer, second order error signal is generated in a second phase detector which operates only during a VCO "safe" condition, i.e., when a data pulse is within a preset limit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accessing data blocks in a computer system having multiple-disk drive rotational position sensing which is not centrally synchronized and where data read and write requests are normally weighted by the order of availability of requested data blocks. The weighting of the priority, or queue position, of selected data blocks is modified by advancing the apparent initial location of data blocks designated for preferental access and maintaining an availability signal, or peripheral interrupt, for an extended period. A special pre-data-transfer instruction indicates the duration of the peripheral interrupt. A circuit for implementing the invention has a storage register for receiving the special instruction, a down counter for decrementing for the duration of the designated pre-data-interrupt and an interrupt duration control latch for issuing and extinguishing the interrupt.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a combine with a unique sealing arrangement between the pivotable feeder housing and the inlet opening. The rearward portion of the feeder housing, extending into the inlet opening, includes spaced apart arcuate smooth edge plates which mate with, but do not contact, sealing blocks affixed to the inside vertical side edges of the inlet opening. The feeder housing further includes axially aligned pivot arms which extend away therefrom to engage a pair of support yokes which permit the housing to pivot vertically. The pivot arms and the edge plates have the same central axis so that pivoting of the feeder housing does not interfere with the sealing block/edge plate relationship.

Abstract: The invention relates to crop harvesting machines fitted with detector means for detecting the presence of undesirable objects such as metallic objects. The invention seeks to solve the problem of known machines in which some form of slipping clutch is provided which operates when drive is arrested due to the presence of an undesirable object and which may overheat, and the problem of normal drive being re-established without first ensuring the removal of the offending object. According to the invention a harvesting machine comprises crop processing means, feeder means for feeding crop material to the processing means, a drive train for driving the feeder means, and detector means for detecting undesirable objects passing through the feeder means, the detector means being operable upon the detection of an undesirable object to initiate instantaneous arrest of the drive to the feeder means and to break the drive train for the feeder means.

Abstract: A phase lock system for locking the output pulses of a motor driven tachometer in phase with reference pulses that recur at a prescribed reference frequency. A phase/frequency detector operates in a frequency mode when there is a frequency difference between the output pulses and the reference pulses so as to generate an error signal indicative of the frequency difference and a saturating amplifier coupled between the phase/frequency detector and the tachometer motor responds to the error signal to provide maximum drive power to the motor so as to vary the tachometer and drive the output pulse frequency toward the reference pulse frequency at a maximum rate. When frequency equality is achieved, the phase/frequency detector operates in a phase mode in which the phase error between the output pulses and the reference pulses is measured at a time when the system is still in saturation because of its high gain.